Machine for seaming and corrugating pipes.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1908. J. J. HEGGY. MACHINE FOR SBAMING AND CORRUGATING PIPES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1905.

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$10 gaw No. 886,975. PAIENTED MAY 5, 1908.

' J. J. HEGGY.

MACHINE FOR SEAMING AND GORRUGATING PIPES-Q Am moulon FILED r33. 23. 1905.

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UNITE STTES FFIQE.

JOHN J. HEGGY, OF LA GROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LA GROSSE STEEL ROOFING & CORRUGATING COMPANY, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN.

MACHINE FOR SEAMING AND CORRUGATING PIPES.

holder for grabbing the pipe to be corrugated and pulling it on to the corrugating mandrel,

as well as to an improved seaming device for efi'ecting the seaming of the pipe while it is on the mandrel.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pipe corrugating and seaming machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section of the grab holder for the pipe detached. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bracket to which the automatic gripper or grabbing device is attached. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bolt for attaching one part of the gripping device to its bracket. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the seaming attachment detached. Fig. 8 is a front end view of the gripping device detached. Fig. 9 is a view partially in section of the seaming devices detached. Fig. 10 is a view showing the mandrel and a piece of pipe in cross section and the gripping device in side elevation. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of one of the gripping jaws. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 Fig. 4. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the uppermost gripping jaw.

In the drawings I have shown a pipe seaming and corrugating machine of a well known type comprising the uprights 1, the cylindrical longitudinally arranged guide bars 2, 3, one above the other and bolted to the said uprights, the stationary corrugating mandrel 4 arranged between said bars, the traveling corrugating head 5 carrying the corrugating dies and the seaming attachment, the endless driving chain 6 for the said head and the sprocket wheels at either end of the machine for the directing chain of the machine, those at one end being driven by suitable power mechanism indicated as an entirety by 8; 9 and 10 being hand levers adapted to control clutches of well known types asso- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 23, 1905.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Serial No. 247,048.

ciated with the power transmitting mechanism for causing the said endless belt to be driven in opposite directions to move the corrugating head 5 back and forth along the corrugating mandrel.

As my invention can be fitted to almost any of the pipe corrugating machines now in general use, it will be understood that the parts just referred to are shown merely for the purpose of illustration and do not com prise any part of this invention.

The front end 4 of the corrugating mandrel is adapted to receive the pipe to be corrugated and seamed, this pipe, as is well known, being substantially circular in cross section when it is fed to the machine.

12 indicates as an entirety an automatic pipe gripping or grabbing device which is secured to the front side of the corrugating head 5.

13 is a bracket rigidly secured to the front face of the corrugating head. This bracket may be of any suitable shape in order to accommodate it to the particular head to which it is fitted. In the drawings it is shown substantially S-shape in side elevation. The short vertical part 13 of this bracket is slotted, as indicated at 13 to receive the bolt or bolts by means of which the bracket is secured to the adjacent face of the corrugating head, this slot permitting the bracket to be adjusted up and down relative to the axis of the corrugating mandrel. The vertical leg 13 of the bracket is slotted at 13 near its lower end for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and the lower horizontal part 13* of the bracket is bifurcated as indicated at 13*.

14 indicates as an entirety the device for controlling the jaws of the grabbing or gripping element. It comprises the vertically arranged shank-like part 14, the horizontally arranged part 14 having its lower surface conveXed as indicated at 14 and its forward end cut away, as indicated at 14 to form a forward pointed extension 14 and also the upper forwardly extending horizontal handle-like part 14 having at its rear end an enlarged portion 14 which overhangs the inner edge of the upright portion 14:

15 is a bolt having its inner end inserted through the slot 13 in the bracket 13 in which it is adapted to move vertically. 16 is a nut on the inner end of this bolt. At its forward end the bolt has a clip-like head 15 part it is pivoted as indicated at 20 between the arms of which the said shanklike art 14 is fitted, 17 being a pin or bolt which pivotally connects the said. parts together.

18 indicates the lower jaw of the pipe gripping device, Preferably this jaw is grooved along its upper edge as indicated at 18. The rear end of the jaw is loosely fitted into the bifurcated portion 13 of the bracket 13, the lower horizontal part 14 of the jaw-operating device 14 being fitted into the groove 18 in the said jaw 18. 19 is a pivot connecting the inner end of jaw 18 to the said lower horizontal portion of the operating device 14 near its upper forward corner. At its front end this jaw 18 is cut away as indicated at 18 to form the gripping part or element 18 the upper surface of which is serrated as indicated at 18.

20 indicates the upper jaw of the gripping device, it having the relatively enlarged head-like part 20, the under surface of which is serrated at 20 to register with the serrations in the upper surface of the lower gripping element. This jaw 20 has the relatively narrow rearwardly extending shank 2O arranged to fit into the groove in the upper edge of the jaw-like part 18, to whli lch 1e under surface of this rearwardly extending portion of the upper jaw is tapered as indicated at 20 its rear portion corresponding in shape substantially to the front upper portion of the lower horizontal part 14* of the jaw controlling device 14, so that when the said part 14 swings about the axis of its pivotal connection at 19 the front end 14 of the part 14 will engage with the tapered surface 20 of the upper jaw and will turn the said jaw about its pivotal connection 20 so as to force it into engagement with the lower jaw 18. At the same time the convex surface 14 at the lower edge of the operating device 14 will engage with the adjacent wall of the lower aw 18 and will tend to force the front end of the said jaw upwards into engagement with the upper jaw. The release of this gripping action is effected by pressing downwardly on the operating handle 14 this causing the swinging of the entire part 14 about the axis of its pivotal connection 19 in the opposite direction from that just described and in such manner as to release the pressure between the front ends of the jaws 18 and 20.

The enlarged part 14 of the part 14 serves as a weight, the normal tendency of which is to force the outer end 14* of the j aw-engaging cam upward about the axis of the pivot 19 so as to maintain the jaws 18 and 20 normally in gripping position,

The bolt 15 is free to rise and fall within the slot 13 of the bracket 13 and with it the o erating device 14 and parts connected t ereto. After the pipe has been pulled onto 22 indicates as an entirety the seaming device and 23 a guide which is adapted to guide the seam into the seaming device.

'22 indicates the seaming wheel pivotally mounted at the lower end of swinging frame 22, which at its upper end ispivotally connected at 22' to the holder 22. This holder 22 is fitted to slide in a guide bracket 24 se cured to the rear face of the corrugating head, and is'adjustable vertically in said guide by means of a threaded bolt 25 fitted to the upper part of said bracket and to the upper part of the said holder 22 At 26 there is a coil spring fitted in a socket in one arm of the frame 22 and arranged to press laterally against the seaming wheel 22 and adapted to permit the said wheel to move laterally, following the seam of the pipe, while holding it substantially parallel to the pipe engaging walls'of the seaming guide 23. 26 is a screw fitted in the outer end of the said socket and adapted to abut against the outer end of the said spring 26. By adjusting this screw within the socket the tension of the spring may be regulated.

The seaming guide 23 comprises the bar 23 secured at itsfront end to the guide bracket 24 and having at its rear end the laterally extending plate 23 with its inner end wall arranged in proximity to the adjacent corrugations on the mandrel. The inner end of the arm 23 is cut away on its underside as indicated at 23 forming a projection 23 the under surface of which is convex in shape as indicated at 23 This projection 23 extends over the top edges of the seam holding them down to the mandrel, the wall or should er 23 being also convex in shape and arranged to bear upon the pipe so as to properly spread the seam edges and insure a tight lock when the seaming wheel is operating to complete the seam.

The surfaces at 23 and 23 serve to engage the edges of the seam and direct them into proper position in front of the seaming wheel when it is in operation, the convexity of these surfaces tending to permit the guide to readily accommodate itself to unevennesses in the seam edges.

26 indicates a wheel arranged in the same Vertical plane as the seaming wheel 22 and having its periphery adapted to engage with drel 4 and inserted between the jaws of the.

grab 12. Power is then applied through the endless chain 6 in such manner as to move the corrugating and seaming head toward the rear end of the machine. This will cause the said grab 12 to take hold of the pipe inserted between the jaws 18 and 20 and to draw it on to the mandrel. hen the corrugating head reaches the rear end of the machine its movement is stopped by an operator throwing one of the clutch controlling levers. The grab is disengaged from the pipe just prior to this ceasing of travel of the corrugating head by the operator pressing downwardly on the handle 14 of the grab. The corrugating head then moves forward in the well known manner, its rotary dies cooperating with the corrugations of the mandrel to corrugate the pipe, the seaming guide 23 advancing simultaneously with the said head and pressing the edges of the seam into pro er relation with each other. After the heac has moved forward to corrugate the pipe, power is applied to move it in the opposite direction, the seaming roller 22 swinging downwardly about the axis of the pivot 22 engaging with the upper wall of the seam and pressing the edges of the seam together against the flat tened portion 4 of the mandrel. After the seam has been formed the completed pipe is drawn off the mandrel in any well known In the drawings, for sake of illustration, I have shown one style of automatic grab and also one style of seaming and seam-guiding device embodying my improvements, but I do not limit myself to these particular styles which have been shown purely for the urposes of illustration, as numerous modi' cations may be devised which will come within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a pipe corrugating machine, the combination with the traveling corrugating head and the mandrel, of the automatic pipe gri ping device carried by the said head, he d normally relatively to said mandrel in pipe receiving position and adapted to grip and draw the pipe onto the mandrel.

2. In a pipe corrugating machine, the combination with the traveling corrugating head and the mandrel, of the pipe gripping device carried by the said head and comprising two opposed jaws held normally relatively to said mandrel in position to receive the pipe between them and adapted to automatically grip it as the said head travels in one direction.

3. In a pipe corrugating machine, the combination of the traveling corrugating head, the mandrel, the bracket secured to the front face of the said head, the pipe gripping device, comprising the opposing gripping jaws and the swinging lever for actuating them, and the bolt connecting the said lever with the said bracket.

4. In a pipe corrugating machine the combination with the traveling corrugating head and the stationary mandrel, of the pipe gripping device carried by said head comprising two opposed jaws held normally relatively to said mandrel in position to receive the pipe to be drawn thereon, and the lever for actuating them having a handle by means of which jaws can be opened.

5. In a pipe corrugating machine, the combination with the traveling corrugating head and the stationary mandrel of the pipe gripping device carried by the said head and c0mprising the two opposed gripping jaws normally held relatively to said mandrel in position to receive the pipe to be drawn thereon and the pivotally mounted operating lever for forcing the said jaws together, the said lever tending to hold the jaws normally together.

6. In a pipe corrugating machine, the combination with a traveling corrugating head and a mandrel, of a pipe gri ping device normally held relatively to sai mandrel in posi tion to receive the pipe to be drawn thereon, said pipe gripping device being connected to said corrugating head by a radially adjustable connection.

7. In a pipe corrugating machine, the combination with a mandrel and a corrugating head arranged to travel therealong, of a pipe gripping device having its opposing gripping elements held normally relatively to said mandrel in position to receive the pipe to be drawn thereon, said gripping device having slot and bolt connection with said corrugating head, whereby it may be adjusted radially of said mandrel.

8. In a pipe making machine, the combination with the stationary mandrel and the traveling head adapted to move forward and back along the mandrel, of the gripping device comprising the two opposed jaws normally held relatively to said mandrel in position to receive the pipe to be drawn thereon,- the lever adapted to act upon said jaws to force them together, and means connecting said lever with said traveling head radially aidjpstable relatively to the axis of said manc re 9. In a pipe seaming machine, the combination of the stationary mandrel, the traveling carrier, the seaming wheel mounted on said carrier and laterally yieldable relative to the aXis of the said mandrel and the spring bearing laterally directly against one side of said seaming wheel,

10. In a pipe making machine, the combination with the stationary mandrel and the traveling carrier adapted to move forward and back along the mandrel, of the laterally moving seaming wheel mounted on said carrier the seaming guide carried by said traveling carrier and having a shoulder formed with convex 'walls for engaging the edge of the pipe seam on the mandrel, and the spring for holding said wheel yieldingly in position.

11. In a pipe making machine, the combination with a mandrel and a head adapted to travel forward and back therealong, of a pipe gripping device adjustahly mounted on said head to be moved toward and away from the periphery of said mandrel, as desired, and normally'held relatively to said mandrel in position to receive a pipe section to be drawn thereon.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. HEGGY. Witnesses:

S. MARTINDALE, Jr., FRED H. HARTWELL. 

